Knicks Fall to Magic Without Karl-Anthony Towns

Missing Karl-Anthony Towns, the New York Knicks dropped their third game in a row on Monday night against the Orlando Magic.

Jan 6, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) looks to shoot over Orlando Magic guards Jett Howard (13) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (3) in the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

If anything, the latest New York Knicks game provided a sterling MVP case for Karl-Anthony Towns ... albeit in absentia.

Towns sat out of the first game of a lengthy defense of the Eastern Seaboard, and the Orlando Magic took advantage to the tune of 103-94 victory over the Knicks. With the loss, the Knicks have dropped three games in a row for the first time this season and missed out on their first four-game sweep of Orlando since 2012-13.

Mikal Bridges and Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 24 points each while Josh Hart had a 15-point, 14-rebound double-double. Jericho Sims stepped into Towns' place in the starting five and earned 10 rebounds but the loss of offensive firepower was clearly felt, as Sims shot only 2-of-4 from the field.

Jan 6, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Orlando Magic guard Cole Anthony (50) looks to drive past New York Knicks guard Josh Hart (3) in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

A warm welcome home for the Knicks, who were tied with Indiana for the most road games in the NBA this season entering Monday night, was no match for an Orlando group giving its all despite a lengthy injury report of its own.

While the Knicks (24-13) were missing both Towns and Miles McBride, the Magic continue to miss franchise faces Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, as well as depth stars Gary Harris, Jalen Suggs and Mo Wagner. Orlando was also coming off a dreary loss to the lowly Utah Jazz on Sunday.

All that and more was no matter to the Magic (22-16), who enjoyed a 24-point effort from Cole Anthony, the son of former Knicks outside man Greg.

With McBride out for the fourth straight game, the Magic gave the Knicks a taste of what they were missing with sterling performances in relief: Wendell Carter Jr. and Jonathan Isaac united for 32 points on 12-of-16 shooting (the latter going 3-of-3 from three-point range) while Anthony Black and Jett Howard were each a plus-11 in relief.

Orlando's five relievers united for 50 points, nearly half of their final output. In contrast, the Knicks mustered 15 from three men, all but five coming from Precious Achiuwa. Cameron Payne and Landry Fields were a combined 1-of-9 including 1-of-7 from three.

Jan 6, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks guard Cameron Payne (1) looks to drive past Orlando Magic guard Anthony Black (0) in the second quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

They were hardly the only Knicks who struggled from deep, however: while Orlando's substitutes stepped up (Anthony, Carter, and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope were a combined 9-of-11 despite the Magic entering Monday's game ranked dead-last in three-point success rate), the Knicks' regulars struggled with Bridges being 1-of-7 amidst a 4-of-22 overall effort.

The Knicks had gone 3-of-6 with an extra point on the line in the opening period en route to a 28-24 lead but missed their next 15. Prior to Payne's meaningless final triple that created the final margin in the last minute, the three threes were the fewest any NBA team had in a single game this season.

Part two of the Knicks' homestand lands on Wednesday night when they welcome in the Toronto Raptors (7:30 p.m. ET, MSG).

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